The Secretary of State for Education visits Norwich Cornerstone Employers

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The Secretary of State for Education, Damien Hinds MP, visited the Headquarters of Aviva in Norwich to hear about the work being done by employers to help young people in the area prepare for the world of work.

The Minister met The Careers & Enterprise Company board member Brian Lightman, and heard from our Norwich Cornerstones Employers about their efforts individually and collaboratively to support young people in the Norwich Opportunity Area.

Norwich is one of the government’s 12 Opportunity Areas across England, designed to promote social mobility and open-up opportunities for young people. All the Cornerstone Employers in the area are working to help deliver over 36,000 encounters with employers for young people in the area by 2020.

Cornerstone Employers commit to investing time and resources and working with other businesses, schools and colleges to inspire young people. They act as champions to encourage new businesses in the area to get involved, as well as encouraging their own staff to become volunteer ‘Enterprise Advisers’. Enterprise Advisers are senior business volunteers who work closely with a local school or college to help develop a practical careers plan.

Norwich Cornerstone Employers include KPMG, Aviva, Grant Thornton, Norfolk County Council and Norwich City Football Club. All of these employers focus on engaging with schools and ensuring that young people across East Anglia have access to meaningful engagement with employees from across the business and gain the vital work experience they need to help them make informed choices about their futures.

The Secretary of State for Education said:

“It has been fantastic to meet and speak with inspiring college leaders and teachers, students and businesses across Norwich about how we can improve opportunities for young people in the region.

“We want to ensure that children and young people can access high quality education at every stage of their life, from early years to successful employment, and have the chances and choices to fulfil their potential.

“I was really impressed to see the fantastic collaborative work colleges and employers are undertaking to achieve that aim, including giving young people the information and support they need. I look forward to seeing how it progresses.”